PETA AD
PETA AD
The impact of an advertisement can be the catalyst that begins a wide ranging social change. Utilizing components of an attractive female, or male, has been a responsible and viable means for spear heading many different advertising messages. There is a need to connect to the population and through that connection impart a message. With the art of advertising resting in the person’s ability to reach the individual and create reaction, the first impression, such as in this case, gives the perception that the ad is about a completely unrelated aspect of the human experience. This essay will examine the PETA ad ‘All Animals have the same Parts’ with the intention of improving my own understanding of the different levels of thought and effort that go into the creation of this and similar advertising efforts.
I chose the PETA ad because the subject matter is one that I can relate to. With a serious lack of food in and around the globe, the meat eaters of the world could certainly benefit from a visual reminder of the similar nature between themselves and what they are eating. PETA has long utilized a form of shock advertising to capture a person’s attention. Alongside their often controversial forms of protest in other areas the attempt to use advertising to educate the meat eaters, or those that are simply opposed to the vegetarian lifestyle, enables a conversation to begin. In this specific case they have utilized the sex symbol Pam Anderson, which has caused a wide range of reaction from me.
The thought that any meat comes from a similar animal is the only the surface message that PETA attempts to send across. It is my belief that they have cleverly interjected many elements of Ms Andersons past in order to create an even more effective message. Just like any animal and Pam Anderson has often equated herself with an animal in sexual ways, this has fed an innate draw inside of me to examine the rest of the ad. Yet, this same measure makes you question if we should be examining her as a piece of meat. In the same instant that PETA is drawing in the observer, they are planting a subliminal question of propriety. This is the form of creative tool that can help to form long term opinions regarding any certain social policy. In this case, I immediately question if it is right to use animals as food if it is not right to use women in a less than honourable fashion. Yet, I believe that there is an even deeper message that a person could draw from this particular representation.
Pam Anderson is known to be a carrier of the STD, this could just as well translate into a message of unknown additions to the meat that a person is served. Even though it may be beautiful and attractive on the outside, as Pam Anderson is and continues to be, there is the very high chance that the offering could be tainted, thereby inflicting more harm than good. This is an argument that would be lost on the majority, yet, would resonate with those that are familiar with the actress. I find this level of supposition to be the most compelling of the arguments discussed.
On the top level, this advertisement seems to link women and the process of eating meat. Again, this is another effort on the part of PETA to tie a positive feeling to a negative emotion. By tainting a good emotion or sought after feeling, the advertisement is subverting my opinion and providing one of their own. In this case, on every level, the PETA ad is telling me not only to avoid meat, but that any ingestion of meat may lead to a harmful outcome. The cunning reality is that they package this message utilizing a beautiful model and a smile to make an uncomfortable point easier for me to understand and relate to.
In the end, this essay has examined the PETA ad ‘All animals have the same Parts’ with the stated intention of assessing the full intended message. To that end I have identified several different layers of arguable messaging, each based on a different social element, yet each targeted at producing a negative emotional response to the consumption of meat. In this case the use of sex appeal first attracts the consumer, the obvious message links women and meat consumption with the deeper meaning actually geared towards a blatant warning away from unknown or tainted product. At every level of discovery, the advertisement is skilfully layered to provide a person with both a short, brief glimpse of the PETA argument and a more complex substantive exposure to their philosophy if I had the time to study it. Yet, the one unwavering, guiding principle from the entire piece is the message of antagonism to the meat process. Finally, it takes a multi layered advertisement such as this to reach the often high expectations of the modern consumer; yet, as always the impact of each ad will remain in the eye of the beholder.
